Dan watched as Jacob crawled around on the floor. Smiling, he looked at Justin, who had come to visit that day.
"Do you think you and Rachelle will ever have kids?" Dan asked.
Justin shook his head. "Kopi's basically our child." Kopi was Justin's dog.
"I see." Dan smiled again.
Jemma walked in, and scooped Jacob up in her arms. Jacob whined.
Dan chuckled. "Jacob's all we need, right Jem?"
"That's for sure." Jemma smiled. "Dan, can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Dan smiled. "What's on your mind?"
"Denton. He's always trying to get revenge on you, what if he takes me again? Or Jacob?"
Dan's smiled faded. "I….I don't know..I'd just probably go into a rage like last time."
"That was scary." Justin shuddered. "I'd never seen so much anger. You never get angry."
"Yeah, my instincts were screaming to save Jemma." Dan blushed. "So if Denton lays a hand on Jacob or Jem…."
"You'll freak out." Justin chuckled.
Dan tried to change the subject. "So, what have you been doing since things have quieted down?"
"My wife and I have been helping James and Katie with their business in LifeBlood Village." Justin leaned back onto the couch.
"The apothecary?" Jemma asked.
"Yeah, they've been doing well, and my wife had decided to help the doctor in the village."
"So, what are you basically doing?" Dan asked.
"Helping to maintain the apothecary, cleaning, sorting medicines, that kind of stuff." Justin said.
"I heard people saying that Katie's pregnant again." Jemma said. "Do you think that's true?"
"Possibly." Dan said. "James and Katie said they had sex a couple months ago."
"Whoa, what?!" Justin was very much shocked. "They did a thing?"
"Yeah." Dan smiled.
There was a knock at the door. Jemma handed Jacob to Dan as she walked past to answer it.
A worried looking Summer stood there.
"Summer, is everything alright?" Jemma asked.
"No, Denton's back." She whimpered. "He's got me for ransom, he wants me!"
"What?!" Justin stood up. "Why?"
"He doesn't take kindly to traitors, and he's said in his little note that was tacked on my door, that he knows about my baby, and that I'd better stay by the bassinet, cause who knows what could happen?" Summer was on the verge of tears. "I'm scared he'll take the baby!"
"Summer, calm down." Dan said.
"I can't, he even said to keep an eye on you, because he'll be back for the new love."
"He wants Jacob too?!" Jemma shrieked.
"Apparently, Denton won't rest until he has revenge."
Dan held Jacob close. "I won't let him take Jacob. He'll never get the chance!"
"Right now, we need to figure out how to get Summer in a safer situation." Justin said. "She's already got enough worries."
"Justin's right." Dan sighed, handing Jacob back to Jemma. "Summer, how about we fake your death?"
"Denton knows you have the power to bring dead people back. It won't work."
"What if I fail to bring you back?" Dan smirked.
"You won't really kill me though, will you?"
"No." Dan was disturbed. "I'd never hurt you."
"I just don't like the idea." Summer shook her head. Her gaze then shifted to her stomach. Everyone could tell she was about halfway along in her pregnancy from how large she was. "I think I should wait until after the baby comes to think of ways to protect myself and the baby from that slimy vermin."
"Good idea." Dan nodded. "How long until the baby comes?"
"About 4 months." Summer said. "Matthew's sworn to protect us both. He's got a loaded gun by the bed ever since we found that note."
"On safe, I hope?" Dan looked nervous.
"Of course, can't risk it falling over and going off in the middle of the night.
"I've been taking self-defense classes." Dan smiled. "So I know a thing or two. If you want to learn, come to me or James. He's the one who's been in several fights."
"Thanks, I will." Summer smiled. "I'd best get going, Matt doesn't like me out past dark."
As soon as Summer left, Dan ran down to the basement. Justin slowly followed him, along with Jemma.
"Dan?" Justin's eyes widened when he saw all the swords and dangerous weapons. "What is all this?"
"All the weapons I've made." Dan looked around the basement, seeing all his weapons, locked in glass cases. "Pretty lethal."
"Why?" Jemma asked.
"We've been over this Jemma. I sell most, but keep the originals." Dan rolled his eyes, then unlocked one of the cases, and pulled out a diamond-bladed broadsword. "This one is one of the most dangerous."
"Put it back, please!" Justin cowered behind Jemma. "It's pretty intimidating."
Dan sighed and slid it into the case, then pulled out a cutlass. The blade was clear, with a blue handle.
"This one's made of crystal." Dan smiled. "The deadliest of all of them."
He set it on his workbench. "I plan on making it even better."
"For what reason?" Justin asked, stepping out from behind Jemma.
"To kill Denton." Dan said, eyes dark with hatred.
Justin and Jemma gasped.
"Dan….you…want to kill him?" Jemma was trembling.
"Of course. He's terrorized too many people. I can't let any more people suffer his wrath. Summer's scared out of her mind, and I don't want him getting his hands on my son."
He made a fist, then slammed it down on his workbench, barely missing the cutlass' blade. "I hate that guy so much!" he screamed.
Justin backed up. He'd only seen his friend angry once, he didn't need him exploding the room with his magic.
"Calm down, Dan, before you send the house up in flames from magic." Jemma said.
Jacob whimpered in her arms, scared of his father's temper.
Dan snapped out of it when he heard the whimper. He walked over to Jacob, trying to reassure him, but Jacob kept shying away.
Dan felt tears well up in his eyes. He'd scared his son, and now Jacob was scared of him.
"Jacob, I didn't mean to scare you." He said softly. He reached for Jacob.
Jacob's tiny hands began flailing, trying to slap his father's hands away.
Dan backed up. "Jacob?"
Justin was concerned. Dan looked ready to cry because Jacob didn't want him.
"Jacob, please…" Dan gently touched his son's shoulder.
Jacob bit Dan's hand. Dan gasped, not in pain from the bite, but in pain from the fact Jacob was now scared of his own father.
Head low, Dan walked upstairs.
Justin looked at Jacob as he came out of hiding. Justin then looked at Jemma.
"You don't think Jacob's afraid of Dan now, do you?" He asked her.
"I hope not." Jemma said. "You saw how Dan looked. I think he jumped to a conclusion Jacob doesn't love him now."
"Let's hope not, then." Justin sighed. "Let's hope not."